The Dark Knight Is Number 9 On M-Net Movies Bucket List Countdown

The big moment has finally arrived. It’s time for the M-Net Movie Bucket List Top 10 Countdown.

The M-Net Movies Bucket List pop-up channel (109) is well under way as the channel counts down 100 popular and iconic Hollywood movies to see before you die.

Get to learn more about these iconic films with fascinating trivia and see movie critic heavyweight Leon van Nierop’s thoughts on you’re the top 10.

#09

The Dark Knight at 19:59

Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger take centre stage in the second instalment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Batman must stop the Joker from destroying Gotham.

Leon van Nierop: “It’s a neo-noir gothic thriller that appeals to the subconscious, to the deep dark desires in all of us, but of course it’s also about heroism. It’s not just a tale about good and evil because Batman has a dark side to him. Batman I’m sure has a kind of a psychopathic side to him which he recognises in the Joker.”

Heath Ledger directed both homemade videos that the Joker sends to GCN himself. The first video involving the fake Batman, was done under Christopher Nolan’s supervision. Nolan thought Ledger had done so well with that sequence, he felt there was no need for him to be there when it came time to film the scene where reporter Mike Engel reads the Joker’s statement. He put his trust in Ledger and let him do whatever he wanted, ultimately pleased with the result, after he’d seen the outcome.

Made more money than Batman Begins (2005)’s entire domestic run in only six days of release. It was the first comic book movie to reach the one-billion-dollar mark.

While filming the chase scene with the Joker and the SWAT vans, one of only four IMAX cameras in the world at that time was destroyed.

Christopher Nolan and his co-writers, Jonathan Nolan and David S. Goyer, made the decision very early on not to explore The Joker’s origins. This was so the character could be presented as an “absolute”.

Many believe that one of the key reasons why the Academy moved from five Best Picture nominations to ten, was because two of the best received films of the year – The Dark Knight (2008) and WALL·E (2008) – were not among the five nominees.

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb